1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a device for injecting at least one product in an egg, in particular of a bird, in order to treat the embryo.
2. Discussion of Background Information
It is known to vaccinate chicks against various diseases and/or to inject them with various substances or products for qualitative or quantitative purposes.
The treatment of embryos in the egg by injection is an important development, particularly in the chicken industry.
Indeed, this type of injection notably avoids the handling of chicks and substantially reduces the work that involved performing a subcutaneous injection on chicks, which are generally one day old, in hatcheries.
Moreover, it is understood that injection in the egg makes it possible to achieve an earlier immunity than that obtained with vaccination after hatching, which naturally increases the protection of the chick.
Vaccination in the egg is especially used against the Marek disease, but also experimentally against diseases such as the Gumbaro disease (IBD), the infectious bronchitis, the Newcastle disease, etc.
Up until now, these injections were carried out by means of injecting devices provided with at least one needle adapted to extend through the shell and the various membranes of the egg, in order to inject one or several products in the amniotic fluid and/or even in the embryo itself.
However, these devices generally carry, beyond the risks of injuring the embryo, the risk of causing a traumatism to the latter; and, in any case, these devices have substantial risks of contamination due to the contact of the needle with the amniotic fluid.